flowerfarmer

bryan_ut(z5UT)January 14, 2008

Trish, sad to hear about your cancer I hope that all is going and will go well for you. I see advertisments for you all over the place. By the link below you can see that I have been asked by our local university diverseAG people to speak as well. Did you have any notes or powerpoint put together already? I am just starting mine and would love any help! I have been wondering where you have been. It is nice to hear from you again!

A good day for me would be being able to sleep for more than 3-4 hours at night. I had a really good weekend; however, my second chemotherapy treatment is tomorrow -- and the achy bones and nausea, and general funk start all over again for a couple of weeks. I'm Irish so I think I can fight this. I have a marvelous support system.

Interesting about some of our ads. We do advertise in Growing for Market and the ASCFG. Some of the others such as Farmers Market Today just showed up in their classified section. Business has grown exponentially just from our articles.

Congratulations on being asked to speak. I see that you are speaking about selling cut flowers. You're speaking for an hour? Sometime I just talk off the top of my head which doesn't always work as well as I think it is going to work.

I do have a draft of an article that was going to be published in a supplement magazine for the the American Dahlia Society. They've lost funding for the publication. If you are interested in taking a look at the article, you are welcome to use it. It's about making hand-tied bouquets for market -- which I know you do. And, it talks about what flowers we use at different times during the season. And, I was using different pictures of the process of making bouquets, and bouquets already made.

Like I said -- I can talk off the top of my head; but, when we are asked to write an article such as the one in the September 2007 Growing for Market, I had a hard time taking the time to sit down and actually write the article. We were in the midst of the season when Lynn asked, and we were super busy -- and I was super exhausted. But, who in their right mind is going to say no to that?? And, once I got started I didn't know when to stop talking/writing. It was crazy. I will have to say that Lynn is a very good editor.

Everyone wants those dahlias we mentioned in our article. We now wish that we had mentioned more:) We can tell when an order comes in that the person has read the article just by the varieties they have chosen. They don't even have to mention they read the article; however, we appreciate it when they do.

Let me see if I can locate the outline we were going to use. Meanwhile, if you would like to take a look at the above mentioned article "We're Just Wild About Bouquets" send me an email and I'll bip it off to you.

Trish -
I'm sorry to hear about your cancer too...but am encouraged by your words "fighter" -- of course, I kind of expected you to be a fighter! :) Take good care tomorrow and going forward...will be thinking of you!

I've not had time yet (need to finish cleaning up the Christmas wreath making stuff!) to even inventory or order seeds yet and want to respond to Bryan's earlier post about what we all grew, liked, didn't like, trying in 2008, etc...but need to finish getting organized! And, I confess, I've been hanging out on the holiday forum...its been a fun diversion from farming!

I had a bit of "free press" - a local magazine did an article on green weddings and interviewed me and another local flower grower - so, hopefully that will add a few more wedding this year. I have one for sure and 2 more tentatives already.

Trish your page doesn't allow emails. I would love to see anything you have. I am so exicited I only had 4 items on back order this morning and only sparkler celosia was discontuined. Do you know of a supplier of Hypericum? I see the grow and sell has them at $1.38. I was hoping for cheaper.

Wendy, I know what you mean about cleaning up after making wreaths. I took 5 truck load to the dumps. The nice thing is that I get a stamp for everyload that is good for a dollar off compost. I do have my flower, edible flower list ready, but not my veggie yet. I am still meeting with a few restaurant people and figuring the CSA out. I will post it though.

Oh, man. I had my post all typed and ready to hit send, and poof. It was gone. I am thinking I should not have my hands on any computer this evening.

So, here goes again. Have you tried Walter's Gardens? I think they had Hypericum for $1. Also, AMG here in Michigan. I can't seem to lay my hands on their catalog. If I think of someone else, I will let you know.

Good on the few backorders.

I don't know what's up with my page and emails. You can email me at: dahliafarmer@yahoo.com

Trish
Am extremely sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I've been exposed to quite a bit of it in the last few years (family and friends) and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. Be positive, be good to your body and look forward to your future!
Take care
Kim

Here's a photo of the banner we had made last year. It really helps promote the locally grown movement at market -- and speaking engagements. They also have price cards for locally grown flowers and produce. Our banner is 36" x 50"

Any chance you will post your latest dahlia article on your website or otherwise share it?

Regarding your article in Growing for Market-I hope you aren't sold out on the recommendations yet! Haven't had time to put together my order. Last year I ordered very late and your husband sent me a variety of his choice. They all did very well planted directly out in the garden, but some were really impressive-so prolific, and lasted in the vase a really long time when treated with hydrating Quick Dip. Don't have the list handy, but I think one was named Yellow Fringe and a similar white cactus type. Another was a red and white smaller flowered type. Maybe you could poll your customers about their favorites.

My Irish/Norwegian husband had stage 3 cancer 20 years ago. He got very cranky during his 3 day in-hospital chemo treaments. I apologized to the nurses, who told me it was a good sign, that the fighters did the best. He's cancer free now and still a little cranky. So take that anti-nausea medication and keep fighting!

If you would like a copy of the article, one will be sent your way. I'm not certain when it will be posted to the website. My daughter does all of that. So, we shall see.

You will love growing our choices for the article. As I mentioned previously, our only regret is that we didn't name more of our favorites that we grow for the farmers markets. The ones that were on the list, however, are very drought tolerant. We found that out last season for sure. I think someone flipped the map of the United States, and Michigan became Texas. Hot, hot, hot. Dry, dry, dry.

Are you talking about polling market customers as to their favorites? It's the ones we have at market on any particular day! Our customers love the dahlias. Gots too. I'm sure of it! That's what we are -- dahlia farmers. Unless they just love us. That's a possibility now isn't it!!

Bucket of Kenora Lisa

Warmest Regards,
Trish -- who doesn't allow the bottle of anti-nausea medication to be out of her sight!

Trish,
That Kenora Lisa is fabulous. I finally sent an order off to Banner Flower Farm for dahlia tubers and don't remember if I included that one. May have to order again later. I left most of my dahlias in the ground under mulch and then a tarp placed over it all and weighted down, per a suggestion from a local garden writer. Will dig some up around 1st of March and see what survived. The temperature got down into the 20's a few times, but I think it's the almost non-stop rain we have that will do the damage.

Is the bucket in the photo something that's available for purchase from a wholesaler?

Thanks for sending a copy of the Growing for Market article. Do you also have the hand tied bouquet article printed up? If so, please include it with my order for tubers.
Hope your chemo treatment is going well.
Marcia

After I read this article I almost cried. I'm really sorry about your cancer, but it's good to see that you're still in high spirits. Since in seems like you're still able to run your business and do what you enjoy, I was wondering if you would be interested in trading? Send me an e-mail at mryan7926@aol.com and I'll tell you what I have and what I'm interested in. Even though you don't have a trade list, I've heard about certain plant that you carry through the forums that I'm looking for.